2010, Oscar Night Specials, and Barbara Walters' Empty Shoes

It's the end of an era. Barbara Walters announced on The View that this year will be the last Oscar-night Barbara Walters Special. She said: "ABC has asked me to keep doing these specials as they have been so successful -- and I'm thrilled we have such great stars and have such a wonderful show for this last one -- but to be honest, I feel like I've been there, done that."

Can't blame her -- the 80-year-old has been doing them for the last 29 years. Why won't she make it an even 30? "That's a cliche," she says. To wrap things up, Walters talks with actresses Sandra Bullock and Mo'Nique, and throws in some "memorable moments" from the past for good measure, like the Hugh Jackman lap dance and tangoing with Al Pacino.

With the announcement, of course, everyone is guessing who will take over the gig and usher in our yearly Oscar night, because ABC wants this successful special to keep on rollin'. EW offers three solid suggestions that could really change up the whole affair: James Lipton, Conan O'Brien, and Stephen Colbert, while the Chicago Tribune thinks it will be Oprah.

It would be great to have another woman in the gig, but please not Oprah, whose daytime talk show vibe would really be a wrench in the special's potential. Could she get Sean Connery talking about smacking women? Lipton, to me, is the inspired choice -- getting him out of that studio and into fun situations, whilst giving the yearly specials some solid cinematic know-how. Heck, that Boy from Oz lap dance would be just as applicable! But what do you think? Is there anyone who could replace Baba Wawa?